It is well known that during and after orthodontic treatment a great number of the teeth bonded with composite cement show signs of demineralization of various degrees all the way to the presence of cavitated lesions. See, e.g., Mitchell et al., Dent. Mater. 11, 317-22, 1995. The greatest problems arise from plaque accumulating around the edges of the brackets, which are difficult to clean. Demineralization also occurs, for example, around bridges, crowns, and other restorative devices and at the site of caries lesions.
There is a need in the art for a strongly adhering material which would protect tooth structure adjacent to brackets or restorative devices and which would counteract the deleterious effects of bacterial acids by actively promoting remineralization.